Discharge valve for flush tanks



Oct. 29, 1957 R. H. ZlNKlL DISCHARGE VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed Dec. 22, 1954 United States Patent DISCHARGE VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS Roy H. Zinkil, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Crane (30., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 22,1954, Serial No. 477,019

5 Claims. (Cl. 4-57) This invention relates to outlet valves, particularly discharge valves for use with flush tanks or the like. Further, it constitutes a modification and improvement over the construction of co-pending applications Ser. Nos. 344,506, filed March 25, 1953, which issued as Patent No. 2,763,872, September 25, 1956; 397,456, filed December 10, 1953, which issued as Patent No. 2,774,972, December 25, 1956; and 455,842, filed September 14, 1954.

It will be noted upon reference thereto that instead of the rigid button-on arrangement of the latter two applications and clamped arrangement of the first named, the present invention provides for free moving pivotal engagement between the closure member and mounting post or equivalent structure. More particularly, the post or similar structure is formed into an open hinge portion adapted to removably receive a cooperating portion of the Other objects and advantages will be more readily apparent and better understood by proceeding with the specification read in the light of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional assembly view of a preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 refers to the outlet or discharge portion of a flush tank for a toilet bowl or the like, shown fragmentarily, said portion being provided with an outlet opening 13 and including a seat surface 15 around the opening at the upper or inner end thereof and overflow means 160 in fluid communication with the outlet opening at 161.

Arranged for flat seating engagement with the top of the valve seat isa closure member ge erally designated 25 comprising a closure portion 16 having a float element .41

"suitably retained therewithin'and an extending'portion 43 for attachment of the closure member for swinging movement into open and closed positions.

As for the details of the closure portion and of the means of securing the depending float element, this construction forms the subject matter of copending application Serial No. 431,435, filed May 21, 1954 which issued as Patent No. 2,756,437, July 31, 1956. Therein, the float element is preferably constructed of a single piece or body of lightweight, inherently impervious, sealed cellular material, such as foam polystyrene or polyethylene. The use of this type of float construction is specifically treated in co-pending application Serial No. 401,849, filed January 4, 1954. The float element is preferably 7 2 ,810,915 Patented Oct. 29, 1957 "ice grooved at 56 and is received within the pocket 49 formed by the ofiset portion 44 of the closure portion at the top and a dependent tapered skirt portion 42, which is inwardly turned or flanged at the bottom at 53 so as to extend within the groove 56 of the float element. The latter element is therefore securely retained Within the pocket so formed and may be easily removed if desired.

7 An upwardly projecting portion 19 is provided adjacent the front of the closure portion for attachment of the closure to a flexible chain 31 for raising the closure member from the seated condition by means of the usual tank actuating lever and handle (not shown).

The extending portion 43 of the closure member preferably comprises a pair of arms 45 and a connecting crosspiece 47 for mounting on the attachment means 17. The latter attachment means is preferably a separate member secured to the floor of the flush tank and more particularly to the outlet portion 1 thereof. The lower part of the member may be constructed like that of the similar member in application Serial No. 455,842, noted above. Briefly, it may consist of a base portion 73 having the flat surface 74 for matching engagement with the inwardly facing flat surface 71 of the raised portion or lug 7 0 formed integrally with the floor of the tank. The attachment member is secured to the floor of the tank by means of a bolt 76 preferably, but not necessarily, passing through an aperture in the base portion, the said bolt also preferably extending through the upper flange of a closet 82 for attachment of the latter to the flush tank in close coupled relation. A nut 78 is of course positioned on the lower end of the bolt for the usual tightening of the assembly.

Rising from the base portion of the attachment member is a post portion 18 formed at the top into a rearwardly facing hook 19 of smooth circular inner diameter forming a bearing for a circular portion 20 of the cross piece 47 of the closure member. It should be evident that the closure member is free to pivot within the hook formation in free swinging movement. In the drawing, a single centrally positioned bearing is presented, being received within the reduced portion 20 of the crossbar of the closure member and between shoulders 21 for lateral positioning of the closure member for proper valve operation. If desired, however, the post may be bifurcated, preferably near the top, to present a pair of spaced hook or bearing portions similar to the single one described, which may be received in either a single reduced circular portion of the crossbar of the closure member somewhat longer than that shown in Fig. 2 or a pair of spaced reduced circular portions. Of course, the crossbar may be entirely circular across its entire extent, if desired.

It should be noted that the hook portion extends around the greater part of the circular portion 20 of the crossbar, while it is open at the bottom side. In mounting the closure member, therefore, it is simply necessary to place the circular portion of the cross piece 47 under the opening of the hook portion and apply upward pressure thereto to either squeeze or deform the same through the restricted opening of the hook into a; circular centerthere of. Or, the cross piece 47 may be constructed ofrelatively undeformable hard rubber in which case the hook portion which should be constructed of resilient material would be deflected or forced outwardly for passage of the cross piece within the hook. The open botttom of the hook also provides a convenient self-cleaning or wiping action in connection with the pivotal movement of the closure member whereby foreign matter may be easily discharged through the opening and keeping the engaging surfaces clean. Also, inasmuch as the hinge connection between the post and closure member is submerged, free, unbinding movement is therefore provided as a result of water lubrication occurring between the moving parts.

It should be evident that the proper position of the closure member is maintained by this construction for proper valve operation as was the 'objec'tive'in the copending application Serial'jNo. 455,842, referred to above; also, .rth m embertmay ibeteasily ,removed of -9m the at ached lmeinbeir. "lby. .downward lpre sur e n L the cross ar-141 o efiiovriitgtreflhbok por I heta fiachmenthmembertmavi e cons ructe at rm tal, plastic n mbersuitable mat rial pr fie'rab vlh yiug {a icertain degree of resilien y sh ul aha .l 11 e ployed.s'cxas-- tomemli the .d formai iqnrofitheihook aortic/1.1.

t Although thelinventionirhas beenapitlia tin the l Q fleeing description and thenrawing to anus]; t nklhaving an integral ceramicse t an oveifiow Positioning post orother' sui blemeans. rises. fr m th ,floordoftth l t nkgthe presen inve t wqmmay, o c r alsobe applie 1 anksinwhiehthe. sea .surtac ii 011a sep .ported seatsm mber through .whiichthe ,flui actually discharges. -Where ,a' convejntjonal seat, member isemployed, such as illustrated'in cq-pendingapphcation Serial No. v3977,4576, Patent No. 2;774,972,t previously no.ted, ,the post maybe formed integrally with itheseat member as therein Suggested or, the post or similar struc- ,ture, canbe arranged. for attachment IOIhEDYHfiQW ,ti-lbe extending from. the seat,.member,.,,as,suggested lby copending application Serial No. 344,506, Patent No.

2,163,872, alsonoted .above. ,The details of the present inventionand, also, its, spe-- ,cific mode of attachment or connection to the fflush tank, portedrseat member or the. overflow means are: therefore not to be limited except by. the terms of the appended claims, construed Within the broadspirit of .the invention.

I. claim: l. In combination with a tank or the like having a portion provided with an outlet andlincludingsa seat iagstoais ans whe e. a W

surface around theoutlet, said portion. of the .tankvin- .cluding overflow means, a valve closure within saidrtank engageable with the seatsurface in the. closedvalve position, said valve closure including extending means, means extending from the aforesaid. portion oftthe, tank for support of said valve closure in .pivotal,-,movement into, theopen and closed positions, one ;of,said,support means and extending means of the closure. having hook shaped means'partially'open iatzone side, the Qther.., of said support means and.- said extendingameans of the closure having means receivable within said ,hookshaped trneans for the pivotal movement 1of,thevalve closure and beinginsertablewithin said hook shapedmeans from thesaid open side thereof ,at ,least.one. .of: saidlhookshaped means and means receivable within said :hOOkshaped means-beingyielding andresilient for the,,inser- ,tionof the latter receivable meanshwithin the hookshaped means.

' 2. In combination Witha tank. or the rlilte hayir ig a portion providedrwithran outlet and ineludinga-seat. surface-around ,the 'outlet, said, portion of thetankincluding overflow-means, a valveclosurewithinsaid tankengage .able ,with ,thesaid seat surface in the closedtvalve;. position; said valve ,closure' having extendingrmeans-in turn including transversely extending means of substantially circular cross section, means for-attaching said valve closureeto the aforesaid portion of the tank fordpivotal movement into the open and closed positions, said latter attachment meanshaving hook shaped means at least partially open at one side thereof and of circular inner configuration over substantially the entire portion of the inside of the hook for pivotal bearing reception of said transversely extending means of the closure for the pivotal movement of the latter intothe open and closed positions, said transversely extending means of the closure member being insertable within said -hook meansfrom the open side,-thereof fonmountingmfthe ,said valve closure in,

operative positiqmfitkflstone of said, hook-shaped means and transversely extending means of substantially circular cross section being -yieldable =and resilient for the insertion of the lattenaneans w i thin the hook-shaped means.

3. The subject matter of claim 2, said extending means of the valve closure being provided with shoulder means adjacent the said transversely extending means thereof .for retaining t he,valve closure vlaterally inoperativeposition.

4. In combination witha flush tank. or the like having a portion providedwith an, outlet and including a s at surface around the: outletand overflow means, a valve closure within said tank engageable with the saidfseat surface in ,theclosed valve position, said valve, closure having -awfiip'anning :ClOSUI-Q portion for overlying substantially flat seating engagement with said seat surface, said :valve, closure having integrally. formed, spaced arms and meansextendinglaterally therebetween to connect ,the arms, said laterally-extending means comprising. means of substantially circular cross, section, means for attach- :ing saidvalve closure, to the aforesaid portion of the ,tankiforpivotal,movement into the open and closed positions, .said latter, attachment means havingthook shaped. means ;at least partially open: atone side thereof, said .hook-shaped means being of circular ,inner configuration ,oversubsta'ntially the .entire portion of the, inside (of the-hookfor pivotal bearing, reception of said means of substantially circular cross section of the valve closure for the pivotal movement of the latter intothe vopen and closed positions, said means of substantially circular cross section beinginsertablewithin said hook shaped means from;the,open side thereof for mounting ofthe valve, closure in operative position atleast .one of vsaid hook-shaped means and said means toitcircularcross sec-.

tion of the laterally extending means beingyieldable and resilient. for {the insertion -.of, the latterwmeans. within the h hape means. a

5. The subject matter of claim 4, said means, of sub,-

" stantially circular, crosssectiqn of the, valve closuretbeing cylindrical, said valve closurefbeing provided with shoulder means adjacent ,the', circular 1 cross ,section thereof .etfectiveto. retainthe valve closure laterally inoperative position. 7

.aReferencessCit d in thejfil i th s p te t pr mer) STATES PATENTS 

